OntheWilderSide

Greens to Congress:
Assert constitutional war powers, stop Bush from attacking Iran

• Greens urge Congress, media, and public to be skeptical about ‘Yellow Cake Propaganda’ — a Bush Administration disinformation campaign to justify going to war, similar to deception behind Iraq invasion in 2002-2003

• Impeachment is necessary to halt Bush’s war agenda, restore the rule of law to the executive branch

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Green Party leaders appealed to Congress members today to prevent the Bush Administration from launching military attacks and a possible war on Iran.

“We urge Congress to take immediate steps against President Bush’s obvious plans for a war on Iran,” said Jim Coplen, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States.  “Congress alone has the constitutional power to block the White House from launching a military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities, and Congress can also cut off military aid to Israel if Israel initiates the military confrontation.”

Greens warned that the White House has stepped up a propaganda campaign to build public support for war against Iran, claiming that Iran is behind much of the civil strife now taking place in Iraq and that Iran intends to use its nuclear capability for military purposes, including production of nuclear weapons for use against Israel and the West.

“The Bush Administration has claimed that intelligence proves Iran is aiding attacks on
Americans in Iraq, but has had to concede that such intelligence is either weak or nonexistent,” said Sarah ‘Echo’ Steiner, co-chair of the Green Party.  “President Bush and Vice President Cheney are playing the same games they played in 2002 and 2003.  We urge Congress to pay close attention to intelligence experts and Pentagon officials who are disputing White House claims about Iran.”

Greens challenged the media to question and investigate Bush Administration accusations that Iran has engaged in acts of provocation against the U.S., citing the administration’s history of misinformation, including the 2003 State of the Union speech and other public communications that led up to the beginning of the Iraq War. 

Green Party leaders also noted that, while demanding that Iran halt its development of
nuclear power, the Bush Administration has promoted nuclear power in other nations in the region, including India and Pakistan, and has tolerated Israel’s nuclear arsenal, and that continued construction of nuclear weapons in the U.S. has encouraged nuclear proliferation around the world.  Greens have called for diplomacy and international cooperation instead of sabre-rattling and military confrontation.

The Green Party of the United States has already called for immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq and a cutoff of military funding for the war, and has endorsed impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

“Congress could quickly frustrate President Bush’s plans for war on Iran by beginning
impeachment proceedings,” said Justine McCabe, co-chair of the Green Party’s International Committee.  “It’s likely that Republicans in Congress would block impeachment.  But a public presentation of evidence that the Bush Administration has committed high crimes and misdemeanors, especially in its numerous deceptions about the reasons for invading Iraq, will call into question the President’s assertions about Iran.  We’re telling Democrats, now is not the time for bipartisan compromise and
retreat.”

MORE INFORMATION

“U.S. can’t prove Iran link to Iraq strife: Despite pledges to show evidence, officials have
repeatedly put off presenting their case.” By Maura Reynolds, The Los Angeles Times,
February 3, 2007 www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-fg-iran3feb03,0,1950135.story

“Ghost of Judith Miller: NYT Drinks the Kool-Aid on Claims Iran is Behind Attacks on U.S. Soldiers in Iraq” By Mark Weisbrot and Robert Naiman, January 31, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20070201/cm_huffpost/040120

“US ex-generals reject Iran strike: Three former high-ranking American military officers have warned against any military attack on Iran” BBC News, February 6, 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6328801.stm

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